School board should consider other uses

August 22, 2007

Waste not, want not. There is truth in that old saying. The Aberdeen Public School Board shouldn't rush to demolish the oldest wing of Simmons Middle School. At last week's school board meeting, there was some discussion about saving the 1929 wing of the building from destruction. We think - generally - that's a good idea. School board member Bob Nikolas suggested it might be smart to hang onto Simmons' 1929 wing, given the possibility of increased enrollment in upcoming years. Demolishing a usable space just because it's old seems, well, wasteful. Though board member Brad Olson didn't like the idea of putting students back in the classrooms, at least, not without investing about $2 million in a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system - which is not likely to happen - he did think using the facility for storage might be OK. This just makes sense. Simmons is currently in the midst of a $8.5 million construction/renovation project that should provide ample student room for middle schoolers, but retaining the older portion of the school for storage or other uses seems both practical and appropriate. Next year Northern Beef Packers is expected to open its beef processing plant south of Aberdeen. The plant plans to hire more than 660 workers, which likely means a significant influx of families - and new students for Aberdeen. While this is a positive economic boost for the city, it does spell some uncertainty for the public school system. While middle and high school facilities should have plenty of room, space in elementary schools is somewhat limited because the district closed two elementary schools in 2001 due to decreasing budgets and student numbers at that time. The school board is currently working with Koch Hazard Architects of Sioux Falls to develop a master plan for elementary schools to address potential space problems. Superintendent Gary Harms said the firm will also examine the feasibility of retaining Simmons' 1929 wing, and rightly so. Harms went on to say that retaining the old wing would save demolition costs but add to a possible parking problem since that space was earmarked for parking. Yes, parking is an issue, but it shouldn't be a deal breaker. What could be a deal breaker is the cost associated with making the 1929 wing usable - for whatever option. The school district should explore some more cost comparisons. Waste not, want not: Sometimes there are nuggets of gold in those old sayings. About letters... These guidelines are designed to keep the Public Voice column interesting and useful for all readers. There is nothing in the guidelines that will keep you from expressing your opinion. We know that letters-to-the-editor are among the American News' most popular features. In order to make room for as many opinions as possible, we have established the following guidelines:

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